CHARLOTTE, N.C. (KCBS) — The Chairman of the California Democratic Party already had political pundits, delegates and rivals buzzing a day before the Democratic National Convention formally opened in Charlotte, North Carolina, after telling KCBS Radio exclusively that Republican tactics had been akin to Nazi propaganda.

“They lie and they don’t care if people think they lie,” Chairman of the California Democratic Party John Burton told KCBS Monday in Charlotte. “As long as you lie, Joseph Goebbels, the big lie, you keep repeating it, you know.”

KCBS’ Doug Sovern Reports from Charlotte:

“First of all,” he continued, “you’ve got Republicans who truly believe the Earth is flat, so I don’t know exactly what, you know, what’s going to do, but they, I think that when people figure out that these people say they do not care about the truth and they will lie and they don’t care if they lie because it doesn’t matter if they lie.”

KCBS Exclusive: John Burton DNC Interview:

“I mean, that’s very cynical, very dangerous,” Burton said.

The Goebbels reference, in particular, drew quick response and rebuke from Republicans, and Burton was reminded that Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown once had to apologize after comparing GOP challenger Meg Whitman to Goebbels during an interview, also with KCBS.

“How’d he get in trouble? Wait, s–t, that’s right, she won the election,” he said, tongue in cheek. “He won it big, god damn he was in trouble. What are you talking about?”